Azur Lane: Kaiserin (Book 2)

Ch47: Humans Never Change (1)

Rupprecht's POV:

I'm sitting on one of the palace's balconies with my grandaunt (Ulrich), overlooking the imperial guards marching by below, when Roselyn knocks on the door. Bellona, one of the guards on duty, opens the door for her.

Me: Have we heard anything?

Roselyn: I'm afraid not, Your Highness. Should we have the fleet continue-

Me: No. Grandmother and that girl made a deal. She's carried out her end of the deal so we'll continue merely monitoring them for now.

Roselyn: Well, I'm afraid that might not be possible-

Me: What do you mean?

Roselyn: It seems news of the Empress' disappearance has finally made it to the public sector.

Me: How-

Roselyn: We're still trying to find out who leaked the information but...

Me: There's something else?

She bites her lip, clearly fighting an internal battle on whether she should tell me or not but the choice is soon made for her as Bismarck enters. With her is Jean whom I haven't seen much of since mother first vanished. She looks like shit.

Bismarck: Have you told her yet?

Me: Told me what?

She glances in Roselyn's direction before sighing.

Bismarck: The people have taken to the streets, demanding war.

Me: What?

Bismarck: They seem to believe the Northern Parliament is responsible for the, and I quote, "Abduction of our beloved Empress". The matter isn't helped by the fact that the Northern Parliament has begun moving troops towards the border.

Me: They've what?

Roselyn: That's what I came to report, actually.

Me: You should've led with that! How are our forces?

Roselyn: We have approximately 650,000 troops maintaining border security along our borders with them but-

Me: What has Eagle Union said about it all?

Bismarck: They've not responded to any questions regarding such activities.

Me: What do you think?

My grandaunt has remained rather quiet since Roselyn first entered. I doubt the others even remembered she was there but with her being the only family I have with me...

Ulrich: We can't really do much besides defend. At best, we'd be able to raise an additional army or two to join the defence without the Empress' authority and with both her and my sister unavailable-

Bismarck: Couldn't you do it?

Everyone looks at me but before I can respond, there's a flash of light in the palace's courtyard. It leaves us momentarily stunned but the guards on duty quickly surround the area, pointing their weapons at the ball of light as it dims. 

????: Are these children really pointing their guns at me?

<->

August's POV:

Me: I guess this is goodbye.